TANJONG Karang MP Noh Omar has been nominated to be the chairman of bumiputera entrepreneurs’ fund Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB).
If he accepts the appointment, according to a source, Noh succeeds Hazimah Zainuddin, an entrepreneur picked by Pakatan Harapan to replace Ali Rustam, the current Melaka governor.
Hazimah has been asked to vacate the post immediately and, according to former newsman Kadir Jasin, she has been offered to lead Malaysian Debt Ventures Bhd.
PUNB is wholly owned by Yayasan Pelaburan Bumiputera, the holding company of Pelaburan Nasional Bhd. It has an allocation of RM150 mil from the government, according to Budget 2020.
The Umno strongman caused a stir on Thursday when he quit as MISC Bhd chairman, just two weeks into the job. In a Bursa Malaysia filing that day, MISC said Noh’s decision to step down came after “discussions” with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
Noh also told news publication Sinar Harian that his resignation was a matter of principle and not because of politics.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had launched investigations into PUNB on June 5 over abuse and misappropriation of funds that ran into the millions of ringgit.
A former senior management and board member had been summoned for questioning.
It is believed the money was used for the acquisition of several companies as well as contracts, loans and the sale of properties.
Among the contracts the MACC is probing into, include the purchase of 20,000 copies of a book on former prime minister Najib Razak worth RM400,000. – June 21, 2020.
